“Tree watching”

by Alicia, 8th Grade

I watch the tree
because he teaches
without ever speaking.

Rooted in lessons
I have yet to learn,
He does not wander,
does not waver.
And I wonder how
He holds the heavy sky
without complaint.

Storms bend him nearly double.
Lightning splits his bark.
Summer scorches his leaves dry.
Still, he stands.
Still, he offers shade
to anyone
Who needs a softer sun?

Wings drill into his flesh.
Children climb his stance.
Lovers carve their initials
into his skin.
But the tree is strong—
and the tree
forgives.

I envy
how certain he is.
Shelter and home.
Oxygen and wood.
Paper, pages, tissues—
woven quietly into daily life.
No one asks if a tree belongs.
It already does.

And me?
I drift like loose pollen,
searching for ground
that claims me.
I don’t know where I belong.
The tree never wonders
if he is useful enough.
he simply is
so much.

But maybe growing
slowly, silently
lies purpose.

Women’s History Month

by Olive, 10th Grade

Women’s History Month is celebrated in March to honor the contributions of women to U.S. history, culture and society. The celebration began in 1911, and expanded from a local 1978 “Women’s History Week” to a national, month-long commemoration in 1987.

Some facts about Women’s History Month include that the first Women’s History Day was held in 1909. March was chosen because International Women’s Day on March 8 became significant because women during the Russian revolution protested and went on strike, demanding food and the end of the empire.

In 1869, Wyoming was the first U.S. territory to grant women suffrage. Women could not get credit cards in their own name until 1974. Sirimavo Bandaranaike of Sri Lanka became the world’s first female prime minister in 1960.
In 1963, Valentina Tereshkova became the first woman to go to space. And on January 20, 2021, Kamala Harris became the first female vice president of the United States.

To celebrate Women’s History Month, you can take steps like supporting women-owned businesses, donating to women’s causes, reading literature by female authors, watching films directed by women and attending local and empowering women’s events.

We are ENOUGH

by Taliha, 10th Grade

This world is filled with perfection
Nobody dares to step outside the lines
If one does, they face the possibility of being an outcast
But what if,

We were okay with making mistakes?
Stepping foot in unknown places?
Or at least if we cannot be–
I know that I am.

I have learned to accept myself
with all my flaws
Although I try to be the best I can be
I know there are some things
that can never be changed.

I used to tell myself
“You’re too tall”
“That shirt won’t look good on you”
“Those glasses won’t fit your face”
But now,
instead of worrying about aspects
of my life
I cannot control
I worry about my approach to life
I ask myself now,

Why was I ever worried
about such silly things before?
I hope that someday everyone can see
That we are perfect
Just The Way We Are
Because we are all perfect.
Even with our flaws.

“To the Northern Lights”

by Betty, 10th Grade

In frozen silence, you softly gleam,
A mirror of depths too vast to tell,
An ancient secret, an unspoken dream,
A luminous stillness in a silent spell.

Your tranquil glow, an ethereal grace,
Dances softly without a sound,
A cosmic whisper in empty space,
A quiet symphony
in boundless ground.

Veiled in mists of emerald
and violet hue,
You shimmer with a mystic,
spectral art,
A sacred riddle in skies so blue,
Holding the universe’s hidden heart.
No hurried motion, no restless flight,
Just your calm, celestial glow,
A gentle, watchful, endless light,
That beckons the soul
to more than we know.

Silent guardian of dusk and dawn,
A symbol of mysteries profound,
In your stillness,
I stand drawn,
Transfixed by wonders unbound.

A radiant enigma, softly spun,
A glowing echo of worlds unseen,
Ancient and eternal,
shadow of the sun
A sacred, shimmering, mystic dream.